HeroMachine Purists: Is Photoshop Frowned upon?

[TheSoupster]

Not quite sure where to put this, so i thought here seemed as good a place as any. Let’s grab a pint and discuss this.

Zypping turns flat characters into amazing, 3D looking masterpieces. This is not to say you can’t have an excellent picture without shading, obviously, but when done well, shading looks incredible. The thing is, it takes AGES. I mean, there’s a craft to it, and the time spent on the drawing does increase the satisfaction when it’s finished, but multiple circle gradients just aren’t an efficient method for shading.

For example, what would take maybe half an hour to do in HeroMachine I could do in about a minute on Photoshop with the Burn and Dodge tools. It’d be more precise too. My question is this, though. Is there some sort of unwritten taboo to using other program’s to finish and perfect a drawing? I’ve seen people using paint to clean images up, but is shading a drawing with another program deviating too far from ‘pure’ HeroMachine?

None of this is to say I’m not going to try and get better at zypping. There is something nice about doing a drawing entirely within HeroMachine! Just thought it would be interesting to get some of your perspectives on the issue.

[Hammerknight]

Yes there is any unwritten rule. For the most part, all the contest on the blog is pure HM no other programs are can be use, except for cropping. If you do post pictures in the forum it is nice to let people know that you have done work on the character with another program. It is just nice to be truthful with your art.

[dblade]

I think it only matters for contests. Not everyone has access or the experience to use programs like Photoshop so it is important to keep everyone on the same playing field. As for non-contest images I say go for it.

[Kaylin88100]

Speaking for myself, I don’t have Photoshop, so I don’t know how much I’d use it if I did. I agree with dblade that it’s nice to be on a level playing field for contests, and like Hammerknight says, it’s good to know if someone’s achieved a fancy effect with HM or with another program – mainly so I know if I can duplicate it, actually!

I know zypping takes ages, but I think you get a lot of satisfaction out of it at the end, particularly by looking at the image before and after you zypped it, and comparing the two.

My 2 cents.

[TheSoupster]

Yeah, I figured it be something like that… And rightly so, it’s not fair if one person has a head start over another. Makes a lot of sense!

I know zypping takes ages, but I think you get a lot of satisfaction out of it at the end, particularly by looking at the image before and after you zypped it, and comparing the two.

Don’t I know it… just spent a good 3 hours on one picture. I think it’s worth it though! Check out my gallery thread to see it. And you’re right, there definitely is a certain satisfaction to getting it done.

[Scatman]

I speak for 99% of the machinists when I say.The purpose of Heromachine is to USE HEROMACHINE.We all have put alot of efforts into technique in order to produce a wonderful array (zypping or not) of character creations.I think for your own purposes of course that is your choice and should be kept in your own private collection,and not in the galleries here.It is mainly due to the fact that the program is called HEROMACHINE,and the forum is for people who use this program and only this program to show others what is possible in using it.So with no disrespect there IS an unwritten law,and now there is a written law too.This program is fun and I think It might take the wind out of the machinist’s sails if that were allowed.But no question is a stupid question and by asking first was highly respectable!

[JR19759]

I don’t think it’s a bad thing to use photoshop on your creations if it’s what you want to do, but if you look at some of the work done on heromachine, just by people on the forums, you have to ask, do you need to use photoshop. Some people on here can get just as good an effect just using the program and surely that is the best way to do it. If you give up on trying shading and effects on heromachine you are stunting your own progress on the program aren’t you.

[TheSoupster]

@Scatman said:

It is mainly due to the fact that the program is called HEROMACHINE,and the forum is for people who use this program and only this program to show others what is possible in using it.

Good point, I hadn’t really thought of that. When I first looked at the forums I was blown away by some of the galleries, but it would have been a bit rubbish if I’d found out you needed an extra program to do them with.

Also, the more drawings I do, the more I find the constraints (by which I mean limited number of items, patterns, etc.) actually make it quite fun. To have to find work arounds, combine items to make better things, develop brilliant techniques (like you said), the constraints actually encourage creativity, and you end up coming up with stuff you never would have done before. I mean, I saw a picture recently where griffin’s feet had been masked to make like werewolf paws or something. VERY cool.

[Scatman]

@TheSoupster said:

@Scatman said:

It is mainly due to the fact that the program is called HEROMACHINE,and the forum is for people who use this program and only this program to show others what is possible in using it.

Good point, I hadn’t really thought of that. When I first looked at the forums I was blown away by some of the galleries, but it would have been a bit rubbish if I’d found out you needed an extra program to do them with.

Also, the more drawings I do, the more I find the constraints (by which I mean limited number of items, patterns, etc.) actually make it quite fun. To have to find work arounds, combine items to make better things, develop brilliant techniques (like you said), the constraints actually encourage creativity, and you end up coming up with stuff you never would have done before. I mean, I saw a picture recently where griffin’s feet had been masked to make like werewolf paws or something. VERY cool.

When I first started on this thing in May,I was doin’ these 2D dress-up type quality creations ,but after studying others work taking tips-tricks and the big one MASKING(as you will find is a pandora’s box of awesome stuff) I saw a whole new world,I think djuby said it best when he said that there isn’t only one use for an item,to think outside the box!That was a door opener for me.But the main thing is to have blast and yeah it can be painful at times tryin’ to be your own worst critic and all,but it really makes the outcome so much more enjoyable!dude!!if there is one good piece of advice I can give is that you can mask anything onto anything!That alone will open a floodgate!If you need anything just ask,I will be more than happy to help!

[Hammerknight]

I don’t mind seeing projects done with other programs, just tell us that it is done with other programs. I use paint.net to make group shots, and comic covers, I use Window’s paint and the snipping tool to crop things. I have been thinking about doing some backgrounds with other programs to add my HM characters to. Most of all have fun doing your art. All of us here enjoy sharing tips and tricks that help other people out. So feel free to use Photoshop if you want to, just let everyone know that you used it.

[Kaldath]

@Hammerknight said:

I don’t mind seeing projects done with other programs, just tell us that it is done with other programs. I use paint.net to make group shots, and comic covers, I use Window’s paint and the snipping tool to crop things. I have been thinking about doing some backgrounds with other programs to add my HM characters to. Most of all have fun doing your art. All of us here enjoy sharing tips and tricks that help other people out. So feel free to use Photoshop if you want to, just let everyone know that you used it.

Also in the Old UGO Forums people used to post character made with Hero-o-matic and I wouldn’t mind in the slightest if they did so here, though the same rules for posting Heromachine pictures would apply.

Edited to Add: Though only pure unedited Heromachine creations ( except for cropping ) can be entered into the Hero Of the Month competition or any of the other contests on these forums and the blog unless the contest creator states otherwise.

[dblade]

I think that a full disclosure of using other programs to finish up a piece is a courtesy to your fellow Machinists when posting items here on the forum. Other than that if you want to use Photoshop to add more dimension or pizazz to a piece you started in HM3 then more power to you.

Of course if you want true Machine Cred going 100% HM is the way to go.

[ams]

Quite the debate! I would have to say I’m on the side of pure Heromachine for these forums. There are plenty of other sites that you can post your “helped” pics like deviantart. I like the challenge of looking at people’s pics and trying to figure out how they achieved the results that they got. But that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in seeing what can be done with assistance. Soupster, you should post a pure Heromachine image against an assisted one to show us what you are talking about.

[Scatman]

ams said it all!!I always love the whole”what did they use for that?”or the “how the heck did they make that using heromachine!”?
I would just really like to know that Anything is possible in HM!ya know?That’s just me!

[CKnap]

I completely agree, Iv only ever used photoshop in school since then I havnt touched it. I agree with ams I like looking at someone pictures and being amazed with how they used items and what not, dblade is an absolute marvel when it comes to that, your contest entries always drop my jaw just from the creativity. Even though I havnt been here for the years and years some of you have, I do think of myself as having acheived a good skill set in a short amount of time and being there I have to agree being able to make a creation without outside help is a much better feeling of acomplishment.

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